Palac Debowy

So in this neat postcard we have Palac Debowy. Looking for information online it seems to be a little hotel so here's a part of a review from someone who stayed there:

"This is a small country hotel in an old German hunting lodge, built at the height of the Romantic period. Set in a park of woods, lawns and lakes in a lovely part of Silesia, close to the border with The Czech Republic. The building is straight out of Beauty and The Beast in its complicated gables, towers, gardens, large mirrors, oversized doors and high ceilings."

The whole review can be seen here, it seems like the person who wrote this thinks the charm of this place is the fact there are not many guests.

Well if I ever travel to Poland I'll try to take a look of this place ;)

Dziekuje Sebastian!

Basque country

The home of  some of the world's finest food, beaches in natural settings, avant-garde architecture... 

This area in northern Spain is the ideal place for an all-round visit. If you go to the Basque country you absolutely have to try the famous pintxos : miniature morsels of  haute cuisine which you’ll see displayed in all their glory on the counters of numerous bars. You'll also find several restaurants run by some of the standard-bearers of the new Spanish cuisine. And if you'd like something delicious to drink, why not try any of the wines from the Rioja Alavesa region?

Also worth a special mention are its beautiful coastal destinations with such well-known places as San Sebastián, Zarautz and Getxo, as well as inland cities such as Vitoria and Bilbao. This last location is home to innovative buildings as the Guggenheim Museum, which has received international acclaim, or the spectacular Vizcaya suspension bridge, with the UNESCO World Heritage designation. Culture lovers are well advised not to miss the famous San Sebastián International Film Festival.

And added to all this, the Basque Country has a range of spectacular natural resources (both nature reserves and biosphere reserves) which make this the perfect place for sports, and offer yet another good reason to set out on the popular Way of Saint James pilgrim route which passes through this part of Spain.

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Gracias Natalia!

Bones

This card came from my swap buddy Sebastian I don't know why but I really really like it, maybe because I think it's quite original compared to the typical postcards.

He mentions he loves human anatomy and I thought since we have this card, it would be fun to share some facts about the human body today instead of the usual facts about some place! (: 

So here you have so fun facts about our bodies:

• Every hour one billion cells in the body must be replaced
• Human thighbones are stronger than concrete
• Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing
• The average cough comes out of your mouth at 60 miles (96.5 km) per hour.
• Beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it would grow to nearly 30 feet long in his lifetime
• Babies’ eyes do not produce tears until the baby is approximately six to eight weeks old
• Every person has a unique tongue print
• A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph
• Dead cells in the body ultimately go to the kidneys for excretion
• The smile is the most frequently used facial expression. A smile can use anywhere from a pair of 5 to 53 facial muscles
• One out of 20 people have an extra rib
• People with darker skin will not wrinkle as fast as people with lighter skin
• 85% of the population can curl their tongue into a tube
• It takes food seven seconds to go from the mouth to the stomach via the esophagus
• Women hearts beat faster than men
• In one day your heart beats 100,000 times

And if you want some more  here and here you have some more facts I found pretty amusing 

Dziekuje Sebastian! 

Happy postcrossing!

I got this lovely postcard from my swap buddy Julie, I think it's a really cool postcard and it's even cooler that it has the round global stamp! 

Lately there was a debate on the Postcrossing forum about cards that say "Happy Postcrossing" in the front, most people who participated on the debate seem to not like them. Personally I don't mind them saying that as long as they are nicely designed like this one, people reading this: What do you think about them? Do you like them or not? 

Thank you Julie!

Euskal Herriko Festagileak

This card came from my swap buddy Natalia and I like it very very much!

It has the folklore characters from the Basque Country (Spain). The only two I know about are number 22, La Marijaia (I actually  received a postcard with her that you can see here) and number 44, El Olentzero who basically has the job of Santa Claus in the Basque Country (By the way you can click on the image to make it bigger) I've been trying to find out more about the rest but so far I haven't been that successful.

Muchas gracias Natalia!

Marie Antoinette

I really love this card because it's from one of my favorite movies, Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.
The movie basically brings up aspects of the life of famous Marie Antoinette with Sofia Coppola's touch, I really love all of her work and I think one of the aspects that make her movies unique is her style and the soundtracks she chooses for her movies.
If you haven't seen this movie I highly recommend it (I think you can even find it in youtube). If you have already seen it let me know what you think about it! :)
I also love the Jane Austen stamp!

Thank you very much Sonya!

Here's the movie trailer:

San Ferfin

I really love this card and again the I need Spain stamp!

The card refers to San Fermín, one of the most famous festivals in the world and probably what comes to mind to most people when they hear the word Spain.
Festival of San Fermín. July 6 - July 14. The city festival of Pamplona. The festival begins with the txupinazo: a rocket fired from the city council's balcony at 12 PM of the 6th. A large street party ensues that night and for the rest of the week. The best-known feature is the encierro (running of the bulls), which is done every day at 8 AM (from July 7 to July 149. 6 bulls run through the town center towards the plaza de toros (bull ring); the adventurous and foolhardy run in front of them.

And as you can see the card says San Ferfin instead of Fermín, that's a game with the words playing with the fact that in 2012 the world was supposed to end and in spanish the word "fin" means end, you get it now? I thought it was a pretty clever and funny concept.
The postcard was designed by Kukuxumusu, a spanish company that makes all this funny designs.

Muchas gracias Sonia! 

Barcelona

Another lovely card from Barcelona! (In my life there's no such thing as too much Barcelona...)
This is the city I currently dream of visiting and is everything goes according to plan I'll be able to go there soon, in the meantime receiving cards from Barcelona always means joy! :)


Barcelona is Spain's second largest city and the capital and largest city of Catalonia. This city, located directly on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, has a rich history dating back at least 2,000 years.
In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games which brought a massive upturn in its tourism industry. This had the effect of changing the city in ways that are still felt today with neighborhoods renovated (and in some cases leveled) and the intense focus of modern design permeating all aspects of life in Barcelona from public buildings to something as simple as a park bench or an event poster. For visitors, this has translated into the very modern, yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where the new elements work to both preserve and celebrate the ancient.
This beautiful city is full of what European cities are known for (outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums and churches) and is fantastic for walking with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations. The core center of town, focused around the Ciutat Vella ("Old City") provides days of enjoyment for those looking to experience the life of Barcelona while the beaches the city was built upon provide sun and relaxation during the long periods of agreeably warm weather.

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Muchas gracias Luis! 

Star Wars

Star Wars: Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan; Last Stand on Ord Mantell #1, Dark Horse Comics, 2000

Cover artist: Tony Daniel 

Receiving this card was awesome because (thanks to my dad) I'm a big Star Wars fan! And not only the card is amazing but also the stamp! I've been wanting to receive the famous round global stamp from the USA so it's great it came along with a really awesome postcard.

Thank you very much Alan!

Zagreb

This card makes me really happy not only because it's really nice and has beautiful stamps but also because I received it via this blog! :)

Zagreb is a fascinating destination, combining the best of Eastern and Western Europe. As the political  economic and cultural capital of Croatia, the city throbs with energy but has retained a good deal of old-world graciousness. The sober Austro-Hungarian buildings in the town center house elegant restaurants and fashionable boutiques along with scruffy pubs and rowdy beer halls. A proliferation of galleries display the works of the artistic community, a parade of international stars perform in the concert halls, and local DJs fill clubs with the latest sounds.
Spoiled by a coastline that lies only three hours away, Zagreb’s residents have a lively appreciation of the outdoors. Even in winter, the long, refreshing stretch of park that bisects the town center is rarely empty. When Zagreb residents head for the hills, they don’t have far to go: Mt Medvednica is only a tram ride away and offers hiking, skiing and great views over the city.

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Hvala Vladimir!

Madrid

I really like the sky in this postcard and I love the I need Spain stamp. 

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, as well as the capital of the autonomous community of the same name (Comunidad de Madrid). The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million with a metro area population of almost 6.5 million. Madrid is best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage, a good example of which is the El Prado museum.
Madrid is located just northeast of the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula, in the middle of the Spanish central Castillian plateau (Meseta central), at an average altitude of 650m. Nearly all of the most famous tourist areas are located in the center of the city including Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. The major streets in Madrid include the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana.
Madrid’s calling cards are many: astonishing art galleries, relentless nightlife, its transformation into Spain’s premier style city, an exceptional live music scene, a feast of fine restaurants and tapas bars, and a population that’s mastered the art of living the good life.

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Gracias Melita!

Rab

Rab island covers 93.6 square km. It is one of the greenest islands in the Adriatic and probably one of the most magical. It is covered with pine forests and has beautiful sandy beaches, and is well known for its mild climate which differs from the mainland. The reason for this is that three ridges are present which protect the island from cold winds from the Velebit mountains.

The main resort, Rab Town, is full of medieval buildings, built during the Venetian rule, which occurred since the 13th century. The old town walls are still visible in some places. 

Other than the small town of Rab, there are 7 idyllic places on the island situated on different parts of the island: Barbat, Banjol, Palit, Kampor, Mundanije, Supetarska Draga and Lopar.

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Hvala Antonella!

Yonge-Dundas Square

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. The city is the anchor of the Golden Horseshoe region, which wraps around Lake Ontario from Toronto to Niagara Falls and totals over 8.5 million residents, approximately a quarter of Canada's entire population. Toronto is the fourth largest city and fifth largest urban agglomeration in North America.

Spawned out of post-glacial alluvial deposits and bluffs, the area was populated at different times by Iroquois and later Wyandot (Huron) people. In the 19th century, it grew to become the cultural and economic focus of Canada. Owing largely to the country's liberal immigration policies starting in the 1960s, and the region's strong economy, Toronto has, in recent decades, been transformed into one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the world. More than 80 ethnic communities are represented, and over half of the city's residents were born outside Canada.

As a result of this cultural mosaic, Toronto is home to many ethnic festivals throughout the year.

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Thank you Marie!

Spain

 I really like this colorful Spanish map! 

Spain is a diverse country sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the country with the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy, and the largest number of World Heritage Cities.
Spain is considered an exotic country in Europe due to its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities. Among many places worth visiting are Spain's thriving capital Madrid, the vibrant coastal city of Barcelona, the famous "Running of the Bulls" at Pamplona, major Andalusian cities with Islamic architecture, like Seville, Granada and Córdoba, the Way of St. James in Galicia and the idyllic Balearic and Canary Islands.
A country of large geographic and cultural diversity, Spain is a surprise to those who only know its reputation for great beach holidays. There is everything from lush meadows and snowy mountains to huge marshes and deserts in the south east.

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Gracias Claudia! 

Casa Comalat - Barcelona meet-up 2!

I was lucky enough to get another postcard from the postcrossing meeting in Barcelona with Paulo and Ana! (You can see the other one here) 

This one features an example of that beautiful and unique style of Catalan architecture.

Like a tribute to Gaudí, the Casa Comalat contains many elements of Gaudí’s architecture, and is one of the most original examples of home-grown art nouveau in Barcelona: modernisme.

The architect Salvador Valeri i Pupurull worked on the Casa Comalat from 1909 to 1911, and was clearly influenced by Gaudi’s organic forms. Dating from the final phase of the modernista era, this is a highly original building comprising two façades with a common element: the Gaudiesque curve. The main façade, which overlooks Barcelona's Avinguda Diagonal, is made of stone and is more symmetrical and regular in shape. At street level, there is an interesting wrought-iron doorway and, above it, a central gallery surmounted by a pinnacle. At the top, a series of openings cut into the façade and surrounded by stone garlands jut out above the remaining curved balconies with their floral motifs.

The building is surmounted by a turret in the shape of a harlequin’s hat clad in glazed green ceramics. This colorful element dominates the rear façade of the building which overlooks Carrer Rosselló, and is freer and more informal in style. The irregular wooden galleries give the façade a dynamic look, and the ceramics that decorate the entire façade lend a splash of colour. The parabolic arches over the doors on the ground floor give the building its Gaudiesque feel, and are just another example of the beauty of this unique building.

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Muchas gracias Luis!

Dalmatia

Dalmatia is the southern coastal region of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea.

Occupying the central 375km of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, Dalmatia offers a matchless combination of hedonism and historical discovery. The jagged coast is speckled with lush offshore islands that are part of the reason the region has become one of the world’s hottest tourist destinations. Roman ruins, spectacular beaches, old fishing ports, medieval architecture and historic cities make a trip to Dalmatia (Dalmacija) unforgettable.

The dramatic coastal scenery is due to the rugged Dinaric Alps, which form a 1500m long barrier that separates Dalmatia from Bosnia and Hercegovina. After the last Ice Age part of the coastal mountains were flooded, creating the sort of long, high islands seen in the Gulf of Kvarner. The deep, protected passages between these islands are a paradise for sailors and cruisers.

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Hvala Ali!

Snail-mailers around the globe: Germany

Another interview for this series! So this time we have Nicy from Germany who is really nice and was really kind to answer to my call for postcrossers to be featured here.

In what snail-mailing activities do you take part?

Postcard swapping and penpaling.

How did you became a snail-mailer?

My best friend in kindergarten moved with her family to another city and to be in contact with her, we phoned but we also wrote letters. Even today we write letters to each other. After that I had several snail mail friends in Germany and in Europe, but due to the internet I lost contact with a lot of them. But when I discovered Postcrossing I wrote postcards all the time.

For how long have you been doing this?

Since I learned to write.

Can you show three of your favorite postcards and make a little explanation on why you like them?

I really like all my postcards because I like to travel to different countries and explore new cultures, but there are two postcards that are special to me.

It's a self-made postcard showing clovers. I really like clovers and handmade cards so this card is just perfect for me. It's made with watercolor on a very thick white postcard. I like this postcard because the sender did this extra for me and it makes it really special. 

It's actually just a common view card from Ulm, but the story behind this card makes it really special to me. I have to say that Ulm is 12 km away from my hometown and that I went to Ulm everyday because my university was located in Ulm. During my study I did an exchange semester in Latvia (Aug-Dec 2012) and after a month I received this card. I first thought that the card was from one of my friends at home but no it was an official Postcrossing card, I was really surprised! My second thought was that someone living in Ulm wrote this card but no… the sender was on holiday over there without noticing that Ulm was my hometown! The first line makes this card special too, as it says: "Viele Grüsse aus deiner Heimat" (Lots of greetings from home), with home he actually meant Germany, but for me it was Ulm! I put this card on my desk in Latvia so I could see my home everyday (I forgot to bring postcards with me and my friends only wrote e-mails so this card was a piece of home for me).

How much does it cost to send a postcard in your country?

A postcard from Germany to Germany costs 0.45 euro, a letter from Germany to Germany costs 0.58 euro and a postcard or letter (up to 20 g) to anywhere in the world is 0.75 euro.

Do you have any theme collections? If you do, why are you collecting them?

I collect view cards as I like to travel to different places, but I also like angels and butterflies as well as cards depicting people.

I just collect angels and butterflies because I think they're pretty and cards depicting people are always different and very interesting. 

If you are into pen-paling, from which countries do you have pen-pals from?

At the moment: Germany, Poland, Japan and Taiwan.

Have you discovered any destination you'd like to travel to thanks to a postcard?

I'd really like to go to Slovenia because I love the landscapes on the postcards that I've got from there.

Please share a few facts about other countries you've learned thanks to postcards or letters:

• I once got a card from Siberia, Russia that told me that in Siberia there are also landmarks without any snow at all.
• I could imagine celebrating Christmas in Australia in some way but I realized it with a postcard showing a beach and saying "Season's Greetings".

A few fun/strange/surprising facts you'd like to share about your country?

• The church in Ulm has the highest church steeple in the world and no elevator. It takes 768 stairs to climb to the steeple. On a sunny day you can even see the Alps from the top.
• Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, however very few people know he was born here.
• Ulm has it's own regional holiday called "Schwörmontag" (suggested translation: Confirming Monday . On this day the mayor of the city confirms with an oath that he/she will be a good mayor for the next year, after that there's a great celebration through the city. The biggest celebration is at 16 o' clock at the Danube river, where there's is kind of a carnival on the water where everyone can participate. 

In your opinion, what is it that makes sending postcards and letters through snail-mail special?

I like every part of it. Choosing the card, the writing, the sending, the receiving and reading the letter/postcard and getting surprised. 

Danke Nicy!